My International Scripture Blitz (ISB) was an incredible and memorable experience. Malaysia is a country with a majority Muslim population and so there are significant challenges in distributing Bibles. Yet God is powerfully at work in this country through the partnership between the local church community and The Gideons.
In April 2024 I left Perth for Kuala Lumpur to meet with our team leader, Walter from Switzerland and four other international team members, Norman from Queensland, Charles from South Africa, David from the USA, and Tsai from Taiwan. We enjoyed rich fellowship as we met each morning and prayed for guidance and the protection of the Holy Spirit before we left to distribute the Word of God each day. We worked with a large group of local Gideons and Auxiliaries who had a passion for the Lord and helped us negotiate the intricacies of culture and place. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 were the theme verses for the Blitz and with a particular emphasis on experiencing a peaceful distribution which was pleasing to God, “…who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
On the first Sunday I gave a church presentation during both an English and Tamil service accompanied by Elijah, a local Gideon, and his wife Sylvia. After I had introduced the Gideons, Elijah delivered a sermon on obedience. Shoes were removed during these services, which was a new but comfortable experience. It struck me how these churches were a beacon of light in a city skyline dominated by mosques. It was inspiring to see a Gideon and Auxiliary couple with a passion for the Lord working together.
“Malaysia is a country with a majority Muslim population and so there are significant challenges in distributing Bibles. Yet God is powerfully at work in this country through the partnership between the local church community and The Gideons.”
I had the privilege to work with many more such committed couples during this trip. One of these was Captain Siva, an airline pilot, and his wife Rani. Captain Siva’s religious background was bound by idolatry and animism. While flying to little towns in remote Borneo he repeatedly came across Bibles placed by the Gideons in hotel rooms. He recalls how he felt the Bibles were following him! He started reading out of curiosity and would continue were he left off in different hotels. Eventually, on the day his first daughter was born, he gave his heart to the Lord. Three weeks later an initially sceptical and surprised Rani followed him. He subsequently joined The Gideons in Malaysia. Many years later he went back to the town where he first read the Bible to speak at a Pastor’s Banquet.
Afterwards he saw an old man weeping at the back of the room. He went and spoke to this man, Eric Thien, who had faithfully placed Bibles in these hotel rooms over the past thirty years. Wrestling with self-doubts, he had asked God if all his work had been in vain, and if God would show him one person who had come to faith because of his work before he died. God had shown him that his work had not been in vain. One-week later Eric went home to the Lord!
During the rest of the week, we visited clinics, hotels, and schools, with enthusiastic local Gideons and Auxiliaries, distributing 28,000 Bibles. I was so encouraged by their faithfulness in such a challenging environment.
The climate was hot and humid, but the fellowship refreshing. School distributions were mostly done from the sidewalk, but we saw so many children gladly receive a Bible in their own language. God indeed blessed us with a peaceful Blitz.
The week concluded with a massive Pastor’s Appreciation Banquet. There were 59 Gideons and 96 pastors present and so many powerful testimonies delivered in person by a pastor, an airline pilot, a young new Gideon, a businessman and others that had all come to know Jesus through a Bible distributed by The Gideons.
What a privilege to have been part of this ISB. May God’s Kingdom continue to grow in this nation.
